Amir Blumenfeld
Amir Blumenfeld | |
---|---|
Israeli American | |
Education | University of California, Berkeley |
Occupation(s) | Comedian, actor, writer, presenter |
Years active | 2004–present |
Website | amirblumenfeld |
Amir Shmuel Blumenfeld (
Amir first came to national prominence in 2004 when he was a semi-finalist during Yahoo's inaugural national IM Live contest, losing to the eventual champions. Now, he is best known for appearing in the
The Prank War series, which depicts Blumenfeld and
Personal life
Blumenfeld was born in Afula, Israel,[3] and moved to Los Angeles at the age of two[4] with his parents and two older brothers—his family is Reform Jewish.[3] He has described how he became aware of his humor early on: "I realized I was funny at an early age, I realized I could make people laugh at a later age, and then by college time, I was trying to make jokes in terms of writing".[5]
He attended a Jewish
Blumenfeld graduated from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science degree, hoping to get a creative job in advertising or marketing while writing comedy on the side. He now uses his undergraduate degree "to make somewhat intelligent jokes about finance and accounting, but nothing much beyond that."[4]
Since 2017, Blumenfeld has dated Avital Ash,[8] a writer, actress, and comedian. They appeared together in the Dropout web series Lonely and Horny. The couple married on October 15th, 2023.
Blumenfeld is
Career
CollegeHumor
In 2003, while a
Beginning in 2007, he and Streeter Seidell have appeared in the Prank War series of videos, in which the two play a series of escalating practical jokes on each other. Seidell has described how some of the pranks "showed Amir's true colors, his desire to be famous ... [and] cut deeper emotionally", and how he thought Blumenfeld's faking a marriage proposal from Seidell to his girlfriend went "too far". After seven videos were posted over two years, there was an 18-month hiatus culminating in Seidell tricking Blumenfeld into thinking he had won USD$500,000 after taking a blindfolded half-court basketball shot.[14] The pranks have led to Seidell and Blumenfeld being interviewed by Wired magazine[14] and appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[15]
In 2009, Blumenfeld starred in
Since 2010, Seidell and Blumenfeld have hosted
In the July 19, 2017 episode of Blumenfeld and Hurwitz's podcast If I Were You for which Seidell was the guest, the two founders of Prank War publicly confirmed that the series was staged.[24]
Jake and Amir
Blumenfeld met his colleague Jake Hurwitz in 2006,[25] when the latter began an internship at CollegeHumor. The two were seated across from each other, and began to make short videos together, which they uploaded to the video-sharing website Vimeo.[9] Their first video was called "Quick Characters": it was unscripted, and involved either Hurwitz or Blumenfeld spontaneously pointing a camera at the other and instructing them to act in a certain way.[5]
The two later began the web series Jake and Amir, episodes of which they posted to jakeandamir.com.[9] In it, Hurwitz plays Jake, a "normal guy", and Blumenfeld plays Amir, his annoying and obsessive co-worker, who craves Jake's attention.[25][9] Their videos began to be promoted on CollegeHumor, and the website later adopted the series.[9]
External videos | |
---|---|
Amir Blumenfeld's nomination reel for the Webby Awards |
Blumenfeld has described how his character "sort of evolved" from being "super needy [and] weird" to "a little crazier", but that "the root of my character is still the same, the insecurity of it". Regarding his similarity to his character, he said he is "hopefully very different but maybe at the root of it we're the same person. I'm probably a little smarter than the character though. Maybe the things that he thinks I also think but I'm able to suppress them."[26]
At the 14th
If I Were You
On May 13, 2013, Blumenfeld and Hurwitz announced their first new project since Jake and Amir: a comedy audio
Lonely and Horny
In 2016, Blumenfeld and Hurwitz released an on-demand comedy series called Lonely and Horny on Vimeo. The series was picked up by CollegeHumor for its second season.
HeadGum
Blumenfeld and Hurwitz's experience in podcasting led them to founding the podcasting network
Buckets with Amir Blumenfeld
In August 2018, Blumenfeld announced that he started the podcast Buckets with Amir Blumenfeld, where he discusses the NBA with guests.[33]
Other work
Blumenfeld starred in the 2009 short film
In 2011, Blumenfeld appeared in comedian
He played
As a writer, Blumenfeld works freelance for ESPN The Magazine,[4] and contributed to the ESPN Guide to Psycho Fan Behavior.[46] He also has a section in Mental Floss called "The Curious Comedian".[47]
Influences
Speaking about the role his
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2009 | The Old Man and the Seymour | Lewis Plunkett | Short film |
2011 | A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas
|
Adrian |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2009 | The CollegeHumor Show | Amir | |
2010–2012 | Pranked
|
Co-host | |
2011 | Louie
|
Young nervous writer | Episode " Halloween/Ellie "
|
2012 | I Just Want My Pants Back | Hipster guy | Episode " Never Trust a Moonblower "
|
2012, 2013 | Money from Strangers | With Jake Hurwitz; 2 episodes | |
2018 | Adam Ruins Everything | Tevin | Episode "Adam Ruins Flying" |
2018 | Bobcat Goldthwait's Misfits & Monsters | Leo | Episode: "The Buzzkill" |
Online video
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2007–present | Jake and Amir | Amir | Writer and editor |
2007–2015 | Hardly Working | Amir | Writer |
2010–2015 | CollegeHumor Originals | Various | |
2010 | Very Mary-Kate | Woody Allen | 2 episodes |
2016–2019 | Lonely and Horny | Ruby Jade | Writer and actor |
Bibliography
- The writers of CollegeHumor.com (2006). The CollegeHumor Guide to College: Selling Kidneys for Beer Money, Sleeping with Your Professors, Majoring in Communications, and Other Really Good Ideas. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 9780525949398.
- Blumenfeld, Amir; Hall, Spencer; Trex, Ethan (2007). ISBN 9781933060361.
- Blumenfeld, Amir; Shah, Neel; Trex, Ethan (2008). Faking It: How to Seem Like a Better Person Without Actually Improving Yourself. New York: New American Library. ISBN 9780451222527.
- The writers of CollegeHumor.com (2011). CollegeHumor: The Website. The Book. New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 9780306820496.
References
- ^ Webby Awards. International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Archived from the originalon December 25, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ "If I Were You – 283: Prank Wars (W/Streeter Seidell!)".
- ^ a b c d e Moses, Jeremy (April 21, 2009). "Jake & Amir: Funnier Than You". MyJewishLearning. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ a b c Luu, Valerie (April 2, 2009). "Making CollegeHumor". City on a Hill Press. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f Lorenzini, Wesley (director) (December 12, 2008). Amir Blumenfeld Interview. YouTube. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- Milken Student Press. Archived from the originalon November 5, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ Hutt, Jason (director). Amir Blumenfeld: The Truth About Jewish Summer Camps. MyJewishLearning (June 10, 2010). YouTube.
- ^ "Amir Blumenfeld: Couldn't be happier!". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Kenan, Ido (May 31, 2012). "Meet Jake and Amir, the most successful Jewish comedians on the Internet". Haaretz. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- theScore Inc. December 12, 2011. Archived from the originalon September 15, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ "Amir Blumenfeld". CollegeHumor. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ a b Smiley, Brett (December 1, 2010). "The 8 Best Woody Allen Impressions We Found On The Internet". MTV. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- Information Today. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ a b Tanz, Jason (August 24, 2009). "Practical Joking Becomes a Battle for the Last Laugh". Wired. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ Hurwitz, Jake (March 18, 2009). "Prank War on Kimmel!". CollegeHumor. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ "The CollegeHumor Show – Cast Bios". MTV. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ Stelter, Brian (February 4, 2009). "Dudes! Time for Beer Pong! CollegeHumor.com Invades MTV". The New York Times. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ GigaOM. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ Rowles, Dustin (February 10, 2009). "Only Stupid People are Breeding / The Cretins Cloning and Feeding". Pajiba. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ "The CollegeHumor Show – Episodes". MTV. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ "Pranked". MTV. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ a b Chiu, Eric (September 7, 2009). "MTV's 'Pranked' is a joke with no laughs". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ Gilbert, Matthew (August 27, 2009). "'Pranked' is another MTV lowlight". Boston.com. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ "Episode 283: Prank Wars (w/Streeter Seidell!)". If I Were You. July 19, 2017. 21:00. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
- ^ a b c Kushigemachi, Todd (July 24, 2012). "Hurwitz & Blumenfeld: College Humor duo graduate to next level". Variety. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ Davis, Deirdre Ann (February 20, 2013). "Talking to Jake and Amir About Their Web Series, CollegeHumor, and More". Splitsider. The Awl. Archived from the original on July 8, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- Webby Awards. International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Archived from the originalon 2013-09-15. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ Gutelle, Sam (17 December 2012). "The Nominees for the 3rd Annual Streamy Awards Are…". Tubefilter. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
- ^ "New Podcast!". Jake and Amir. May 13, 2013. Archived from the original on September 23, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ Culver, Kayla (September 30, 2013). "If I Were You". The Concordian. Concordia College. Archived from the original on December 30, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
- ^ Sawyer, Miranda (July 27, 2013). "Rewind radio: If I Were You; TED Radio Hour; Stuff You Should Know; Stuff Mom Never Told You; Desert Island Discs – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
- ^ "Featured Podcasts". HeadGum.
- ^ Blumenfeld, Amir (2018-08-27). "I've decided to start another podcast. Buckets: An NBA Show. Now on @headgum. Thank you, and I'm sorry". @jakeandamir. Retrieved 2019-08-13.
- ^ "The Old Man and the Seymour". Wiseguy Pictures. Archived from the original on July 2, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
- ^ Prax, George (August 21, 2011). "Louie S02E10 Recap: 'Halloween/Ellie'". Better With Popcorn. Electronic Press. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ "Amir Blumenfeld". Cinema Review. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
- ^ a b Goldman, Eric (November 3, 2011). "Twas the night before Christmas, and two potheads were running around New York..." IGN. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (November 2, 2011). "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas". RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ Gleiberman, Owen (November 9, 2011). "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ White, James. "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas". Empire. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ O'Sullivan, Michael (November 4, 2011). "A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 6, 2011. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ Huddleston, Tom (December 6, 2011). "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (18)". Time Out. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ Carlson, Daniel (November 4, 2011). "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas Review: The Gift That Keeps on Taking". Pajiba. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ Mulligan, T. J. (December 22, 2011). "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas Review". Movies on Film. Mooshoo Media. Archived from the original on September 23, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ Zak, Robert (December 9, 2011). "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas Review: Welcomed Gross-out X-mas Comedy". WhatCulture!. Archived from the original on September 23, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- ^ ESPN Guide to Psycho Fan Behavior. 23 October 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
- ^ "Amir Blumenfeld". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on 2013-09-23. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
- Sabotage Times. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
External links
- Official website
- Amir Blumenfeld at IMDb